The Captain's Gypsy
by Military-SweetHeart
Summary: Ann has her cousin, Mariska, to come along on the journey to Singapore. Despite being cousins, Mariska is nothing like Ann. Especially since she is the daughter of a gypsy performer. As the journey progresses, Englehorn finds himself wanting to know more and more about her, despite his efforts to stay detached. She, however, doesn't mind him. In fact, she just might love him.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: I know I'm late getting into this game, but since I love the movie and Englehorn is drop dead handsome, especially with that accent, I couldn't help myself._

_So you know, I generally write in first person, but this time it will be in third person._

_Please read and review._

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**Chapter One: Trip of a Lifetime  
**

Ann Darrow looked at the overweight man standing in front of her, offering her a paying job to be an actress in a moving picture. If that wasn't enough to convince her, Mr. Denham told her that Jack Driscoll was turning in a script. The Jack Driscoll. The man she somewhat idolized. She looked Mr. Denham over again. He was sweating slightly, he looked nervous and rushed. She slightly wondered if she was his last hope to get the movie going. She thought for only a second, not bothering with the cons and pros of this offer.

"Alright, Mr. Denham-"

"Great! Now, we're in a bit of a time crunch, so if we can go and get your things-" Mr. Denham started, only for Ann to cut him off. She held up a hand and gave a small smirk.

"On one condition. My cousin, Mariska, must accompany me. She'll be like my own assistant." Ann said, selling her condition. Mr. Denham was either in a big rush, or he wasn't that smart of a man to say no.

"Sure thing, whatever you need." He said, ushering her out of the small diner and into a nearby taxi. Ann gave the driver her address while Mr. Denham kept looking at his watch and the road. She had been right to think he looked nervous.

"So, your cousin? She live close by, or something?" Mr. Denham asked, trying to strike up a conversation with Ann. He could only hope that this Mariska person wouldn't be too much of a problem. He already had enough to last him a life time.

"She lives with me. If it wasn't for her, I would've been thrown into the street years ago." Ann said, smiling as she thought about her dear cousin. The only thing they had in common was their last name, Darrow. Mariska was a dark, exotic looking beauty, whereas Ann was pale and blond, very much like a delicate porcelain doll. Mariska was 20, and Ann was 25.

"Oh yeah? What does she do?" Mr. Denham asked just as the taxi pulled to the curb of a dingy looking building. He scrunched up his nose and offered Ann a hand. He told the driver to stick around, that they would need him in a few minutes. The man just nodded, his eyes raking over Ann's form in her pale grey jacket.

"She sings." Ann said, effectively ending the conversation as she led the way into her building. She ignored everyone around her, as was usual, and only looked up when they reached the third level. She pulled out her key and quickly unlocked the door, opening it up so she could step in and start packing. Mr. Denham didn't bother with looking around. He simply stood there as Ann grabbed her two suitcases and began to throw everything into it, while calling out for her cousin. When Ann got no response, she stopped packing and walked over to the other room, saying something to herself.

"She here or not?" Denham asked, glancing at his watch. If Ann didn't hurry up, they might not be able to make it to the ship in time.

"Ann, why is there a man in our apartment?" He heard a soft voice speak up behind him. He jumped a little and turned around. What he saw, shocked him. He had expected for Mariska to look a little like Ann, seeing as how they were cousins and all. But no, Mariska looked the total opposite. She had slightly wavy hair that was a rich chocolate brown and it fell to her lower back; her skin was a creamy mocha color; her eyes. God, her eyes. He felt like he was swimming in the Mediterranean when he looked into them. They were a bright sea green with hints of aqua blue. He was certain there was no way they could be natural. She strode right past him and pulled her cousin to the side, whispering frantically about how she needed to leave. He didn't hear much, but he assumed that Ann had convinced Mariska to pack up and join them. That's when he noticed what she was wearing. She had a billowy, white blouse tucked into a pair of brown trousers, and those were tucked into a pair of riding boots that looked like they were well cared for. He raised an eyebrow, wondering just who this woman was. However, he didn't have the time to ask, as they had to go.

XXXXX

Ann looked a mixture of nervous and excited as she stepped out of the cab, looking at an elegant ship with amazement. She asked Mr. Denham, who said no and motioned towards a much smaller and dirtier looking ship nearby. Ann kept her emotions intact, if only to make herself look calmer. Mariska followed after Ann, carrying her own suitcases. Ann didn't really look around, just following after Denham like a good little dog. Mariska was about a head shorter than Ann, so it wasn't that much of a surprise when she bumped into Ann's back because she had abruptly stopped.

"Ann, are you sure about this?" Mariska whispered, stepping around Ann so she could stand next to her. She noticed Denham saying something to a man in a navy peacoat and white captain's hat. She immediately identified that man the captain. He had about three days stubble, blond hair that looked somewhat curly, and bright blue eyes.

"Of course. After all, didn't you always say you wanted to travel to other places? Well, now you get too, and I get to be in a movie." Ann said, smiling at her dear cousin before looking forward as Denham called them over.

"Ma'am." The captain said, tipping his hat and lighting a cigarette. Mariska noticed his accent and had to think about it for a second. It sounded familiar, very much like her mother's, but not quite close. After a few seconds, she decided that he had to be German.

"Ann Darrow. This is my cousin, Mariska Darrow." Ann said, grabbing Mariska's hand and tugging her forward so that the captain could get a good look at her. He looked her over, noting that while she had the same surname, she looked nothing like Ann.

"Are you ready to take this journey?" He asked both of them, inhaling his cigarette before blowing the smoke out. Ann scrunched the tip of her nose up at the smell, Mariska thought it was nicely scented.

"Yes." They both answered.

"Nervous?" He asked, his eyes flicking over to meet Mariska's. His widened slightly, taking her's in. They made him want to drown in them, to swim to their depths and discover all the secrets they held.

"No. Why? Should we be?" Ann asked, pulling him back to reality. Mariska had yet to answer, as she was looking around at his ship and taking everything in.

"It's not everyday that women such as you would take this journey." He said.

"Preston! Why don't you show Ann and Mariska their rooms?" Denham said, trying to keep Englehorn from scaring them. A skinny man came rushing over to them, taking Ann's suitcases right out of her hand and leading her towards the gangplank, completely forgetting about Mariska. Denham was about to say something to Englehorn, when the captain moved to stand in front of Mariska.

"Well, Ms. Darrow? Are you nervous?" He asked.

"No." She answered softly, turning to follow after Preston.

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_So, a little rushed and a little small, but please let me know what you think! _


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: I know I'm late getting into this game, but since I love the movie and Englehorn is drop dead handsome, especially with that accent, I couldn't help myself._

_So you know, I generally write in first person, but this time it will be in third person._

_Please read and review._

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**Chapter Two: And We're Off!  
**

If you were to ask Mariska what she thought of her cousin, she would've said she was incredibly smart and cautious. Of course, that's what she would've said before Ann told her about the offer from Carl Denham. Now if you ask her, she would shrug and say she didn't have a thought. After all, Ann was known for being the cool, level-headed one of the two. Mariska was supposed to be the one to drag Ann off on an adventure, not the other way around. However, it was nice to get out of New York and to travel. Even if she had to be Ann's "assistant".

"Mariska!" Ann called out, poking her head into her room. She had her hair curled up and styled to perfection, her makeup immaculate, and she was wearing a bright, yellow, sundress that Mariska knew for a fact wasn't hers. They shared a tiny closet, so she knew what Ann owned and what she didn't. Mariska smirked and raised an eyebrow at Ann, wondering why her cousin was acting like a little school girl.

"Yes?" Mariska asked, her accent light and airy. Ann smiled, loving her accent. It reminded her so much of her aunt, who used to spoil the two girls with sugary treats she made and tales of the old country, as Madame Valeria used to say.

"Good morning." Ann said. Mariska nodded in response, looking at Ann while her hands braided her hair in a side braid. Ann noticed that Mariska was once again in a blouse and trousers, which annoyed her to no end. "Must you always wear pants?" She asked, giggling when Mariska threw her pillow at her.

"Must you always be so cheery in the mornings?" Mariska shot back, getting up and lacing up her knee high, high heeled boots. Ann sighed, happy to see her cousin wearing heels, for once.

"Come on, let's go get some breakfast." Ann grabbed Mariska's hand and pulled her out of her room, laughing as Mariska muttered curses under her breath. She never was one for getting up early, even if food was involved. It was a habit she had picked up from working the night shift at local nightclubs where she used to sing. She would sleep all day and work all night, with an hour or so in between to get food and check in on Ann.

As Ann dragged, she talked nonstop about hoping to meet Jack Driscoll and make a good impression on him. She kept going on and on about his latest play that she had tried to audition for, only to get her resume back. Unopened. That had been a harsh blow for Ann, but it hadn't stopped her from chasing down Jack's agent and asking for a chance. Mariska loved Ann, she really did, but damn, that girl would no doubt talk her ear off if they didn't get to the dining area quickly. They walked up some stairs that led them to the open deck and Mariska was immediately hit with the scent of the open ocean. She stopped in her tracks and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and letting the breeze carry her mind to somewhere else. She hadn't noticed that Ann had let her go and left her alone, nor did she mind when she finally looked around. She walked up to the rail and leaned against it, smiling as she watched the waves dance around the ship.

She smelled his cigarette before she heard him approach from behind. He wasn't trying to be quiet, but he also wasn't trying to be loud. She assumed he simply wanted to alert her to his presence.

_"Bună ziua. (1)"_ She said, smiling as she caught him a little off guard.

When Englehorn had seen her stop to take in the ocean, he couldn't stop himself from thinking she was quite beautiful leaning against the rail. He had left the helm to Mr. Hayes, trusting the man completely with his ship. He didn't see the look Mr. Hayes had tossed at him then at Mariska. He lit his cigarette and made his way over to her, glad that the crew was too busy with work, or they might have tried to spy on him. When she spoke to him in that soft voice of hers, he was taken aback. She was even more beautiful up close. She wasn't beautiful like her cousin, who used makeup to enhance her appearance. No, she was beautiful in a natural way that most women would kill for.

"You're not in your cabin." He said in observation. She chuckled and looked at him sideways. Her eyes sparkled from the light reflected in them.

"Should I be?" She asked playfully, albeit softly. It seemed that was the only level she could speak in, and he was fine with that. Too many times had he heard women screech and shout loud enough to make his ears bleed. Her voice was a nice change.

"Most of your companions have seem to taken ill." He stated, taking a long pull from his cigarette.

"And you assumed that I would be like them." She stated back, still smiling. She had yet to turn to face him, more occupied to watch the ocean.

"What is your accent?" He asked before he could stop himself. He was curious, but he didn't want to just ask her outright. He though she would get offended and leave, but instead she started to laugh.

"Romanian." She told him, finally turning to face him. She crossed her arms against her chest and leaned her hip on the railing, looking at ease on the moving ship.

"Why did you leave Romania?" He asked, finishing his cigarette and flicking it into the ocean. Best way to put out a flame.

"I didn't. My mother left Romania and came to America. She always spoke Romanian. Sometimes she spoke Romni. The language of the gypsies, as she used to always say." Mariska told him, smiling as she remembered her mother's stories about Romania, and how you couldn't go ten feet without meeting a gypsy from another clan.

"She taught you both languages?" He asked, surprised to hear that Mariska was part gypsy. It was rare these days to hear about them, let alone meet one.

_"Mama ma invatat. (2)" _ Mariska said softly. Englehorn wondered what had changed her playful mood so quickly, but didn't ask. He wasn't one to pry unless danger was involved. He was just about to say something to her when he saw Hayes motion towards him. He nodded and touched the tip of his cap in her direction.

"Ms. Darrow."

"Mariska."

"I'm sorry...?"

"Call me Mariska. Or Mari." She told him before pushing off the rail and walked towards the other end of the ship, her hips swaying ever so slightly. Englehorn had to tear his eyes off of her form, dismissing any thoughts he might have had about her.

He walked up the stairs to the helm, going towards his maps to make sure they were going the right way. He didn't trust Denham, and would sooner throw him over the railing then listen to him talk.

"Ms. Darrow sure is lovely." Hayes said, smirking when Englehorn looked up at him with a glare.

"She's an actress, of course she is supposed to look that way." Englehorn snapped, looking back to his maps. If they kept up this pace, they would get to Singapore in about six weeks or so.

"Not that Ms. Darrow." Hayes said before steeping out of the helm room and chuckling as Englehorn tossed an ashtray at his back. He swore he could hear the captain muttering curses in German under his breath.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: I know I'm late getting into this game, but since I love the movie and Englehorn is drop dead handsome, especially with that accent, I couldn't help myself._

_So you know, I generally write in first person, but this time it will be in third person._

_Please read and review._

* * *

**Chapter Three: Embarrassment For All  
**

"Oh, Mari, it was embarrassing!" Ann cried out, burying her face into her pillow.

"Oh, come now, Ann. It couldn't have been that bad." Mariska said, patting her cousin on the shoulder as a way to comfort her, when really she wanted to bite a pillow and laugh her head off. However, she felt that wouldn't be very nice of her so decided against doing that.

"It was horrible! I acted like a total idiot, not to mention I insulted his looks AND ego!" Ann cried out, sitting up and letting her head hang low.

"Come now, Ann. Dry away those tears and hold your head up. You are an actress! Now act as if it never happened!" Mari said, smacking Ann with a pillow to get her to stand up.

"Easy for you to say." Ann muttered.

"Ann, you are about to go out there and perform a scene that was written by the very writer you insulted. This will be your chance to show him you are tougher than you look." Mari commanded, cleaning Ann's smudge makeup and repairing what she could before shoving her dear cousin out of her temporary room. Mari followed, deciding she would have to see this Driscoll person for herself in order to tell if he was anything worth paying attention to. She had already decided that Bruce Baxter was as weak and slimy as an eel, unless there was a camera pointed at him. Then he became "dashing", or whatever word girls liked to use to describe him. She found terribly boring. There was nothing that made him a man, besides the actual part. But she wouldn't dare go down that road.

"Oh, Mari, what would I ever do without you?"

"Fall off the side of a boat very much like this one, I'm certain." Mariska answered, chuckling when Ann swatted at her arm. After getting to the main deck, Mariska left Ann to Denham and went to find someplace quiet to watch over the proceedings. She found a simple spot and was about to get settled in, when Mr. Hayes brought over a young lad a few years younger than her. If she had to guess, she would say the boy was 18.

"Sorry to disturb you, Ms. Darrow. But Jimmy here has something to return to you." Mr. Hayes said, pushing Jimmy forward. The young lad handed her her worn copy of Dracula, a book she had read and reread enough times that she had it memorized.

"That's quite alright, Mr. Hayes. But you see, I have read that book enough times that it bores me now. I gave it to Jimmy," she winked at the boy, "thinking he would enjoy the scare."

"Is this true, Jimmy?" Mr. Hayes asked, knowing full well that Mariska was lying. He just wanted to see if Jimmy would play along with her.

"Yeah. She gave it to me. She won't tell me what happens at the end though." Jimmy said, winking back. Mariska grinned and clicked her tongue a few times.

"That would be giving away the secret. And gypsies are quite known for having sealed lips." She said, chuckling when Mr. Hayes shook his head at the two of them.

"Good day, Ms. Darrow-"

"Call me Mariska, Mr. Hayes. Everyone does."

"Alright." Mr. Hayes said, tipping his hat to her before walking back to the helm.

"Uh, thanks, for uh, for lying for me." Jimmy said, stuffing the book back in his waistband before shoving his hands in his pockets. Mariska thought he was cute, like a little brother kind of cute.

"Don't thank me. I knew you took it."

"How?" He asked, surprised. He had thought he'd been sneaky.

"Gypsy, remember?" She stated, flicking his forehead. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. He leaned against the rail with her, watching Ann and Bruce work the camera.

"Are you really a gypsy?" He asked, while watching Denham. He had overheard that man tell Driscoll the film would take place on an island called Skull Island. Just by the name he could already tell that this place wasn't good. Didn't help that he was already a few chapters into Dracula and already he was jumpy anytime he was alone in a dark place.

"Yes. My mother was one and she raised me with the hopes that I would return to the Motherland, Romania, and become a gypsy wife."

"Will you go back? To Romania, I mean. After all of this?" Jimmy asked. Mariska shrugged.

"I don't know. I'll see where this boat takes us and what happens." Mariska said, looking up and locking eyes with the Captain. She gave him a smile before looking back down.

"This boat isn't going to Singapore." Jimmy blurted out. Mariska stood up straight and turned to look at Jimmy fully. Her smile was gone and her eyes were narrowed. Her anger wasn't directed at Jimmy, however. No, if he was telling the truth, then she had a bone to pick with Denham.

"What do you mean?"

"I overheard Denham tell Driscoll that we're heading towards this island. It's called Skull Island, I think. He spelt it out, thinking no one would hear and also be able to spell." Jimmy said, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't want Mariska to be pissed with him. She already helped him, and gave him her book on top of that, and he was starting to warm up to her. It was nice to have a friend to talk to beside Mr. Hayes and Lumpy, the cook.

"That lying, fat, bastard. I knew Ann shouldn't have trusted him!" Mariska shouted, gripping the railing and giving it a good shake. She closed her eyes and counted to ten before opening them and releasing the railing. She patted Jimmy on the shoulder, to let him know she wasn't mad at him. "If you're telling the truth, and I'm hoping you aren't, then Mr. Denham will be having to swim back to New York."

"Think the Captain will beat ya to that." Jimmy said, chuckling before leaving to get back to work. Mariska grinned, shaking her head. The Captain, eh? Looks like Denham wouldn't be lasting too long if the Captain didn't like him as well.


	4. UPDATE

**UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE**

**Hey everyone! I'm alive and just wanted to say everything went well for me!**

**I graduated Basic Military Training and Technical Training School.**

**I am situated at my first duty station, and have adjusted quite nicely to my job and squadron.**

**I'm sorry this has taken me so long to update, even if it's not an actual update.**

**This is on all my stories, just so you are aware.**

**Getting WiFi has been very tricky, and currently I'm using my phone as a hotspot to write this.**

**I promise I will be updating.**

**However, first I'm going to go through all of my stories and do some serious editing.**

**Beware that many things will change, and some things won't.**

**However, most of my stories will end up being more adult do to the editing.**

**Fingers crossed that I get the first chapters all edited and update by the end of this week, if not sooner.**

**UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE**


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